How to Celebrate Robert E. Lee

Five states - Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama - mark Robert E. Lee's birthday, January 19, as an official holiday. But whether you are in the North or South, you can celebrate the life of this Southern gentleman.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Civil War-era Cookbooks
• Biographies Of Robert E. Lee
• Bourbons
• Sprigs Of Fresh Mint
• Superfine Sugar
• Julep Cups
• Airline Tickets To Richmond

1. Read a biography of Robert E. Lee. Or better yet, explore some of his own writings; they'll always give you more insight into a character than a second-person rendering.

2. Take a trip to Virginia and tour Lee's homes: Stratford Hall Plantation, where he was born; the house in Alexandria where he grew up; and Arlington House, now known as the Robert E. Lee Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

3. Visit the Old Hall of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol. There you'll see a statue honoring Lee as an outstanding citizen by the state of Virginia.

4. Fly to Richmond, Virginia, and drive across southern Virginia to Appomattox and cover the same terrain General Lee and his army traversed during the last week of the Civil War (at the end of which, on April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant).

5. Read the chapter "Appomattox" in William Zinsser's book, "American Places," if you can't make the trip to Virginia - or even if you can.

6. Throw a "Happy Birthday to Robert E. Lee" party. Serve Civil War-era food, pour mint juleps and drink a toast of bourbon honoring civility and dignity.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't be misled by Lee's Confederate uniform. True, he led the Southern forces through the Civil War, but he deplored slavery. A West Point-trained officer who fought with valor in the Mexican War, he made a heart-wrenching decision to remain loyal to his native state when Virginia seceded from the Union.
• In Alabama, Robert E. Lee's birthday is celebrated on the third Monday of January, whether or not it falls on the 19th.

[GeorgiaRebel]

on 2/2/2008 As Georgia born and raised, I'd recommend viewing the Ken Burns series The Civil War, narrated in part by Shelby Foote. Mr. Foote's knowing, gentle southern voice gives insight into Lee's life, thinking and character as well as those of other figures in the Civil War, both North and South. RIP Shelby Foote.

[JoeyC]

on 1/24/2007 Also, gotta check out Stone Mountain, Ga. Holler.

[danbomar1]

on 1/15/2007 Mississippi honors Robert E. Lee's Birthday on January 15th. You can view the proclamation at the Secretary of State's Website.

on 2/1/2006 Robert E. Lee's birthday is also observed on the third Monday of January in the state of Mississippi.

on 11/22/2005 The best trip of all is to visit Washington and Lee University. Entering the Lee Chapel is such an emotional experience. Down below, you can see where all the Lees are buried. Outside the Chapel, you can see Traveller's grave. Also, the best and most inspiring book to read on Lee is "Lee: The Last Years" by Charles B. Flood.